Viola plant named ‘Flovelbl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Viola  plant named ‘Flovelbl’, characterized by its mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and large pale violet-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Viola×williamsii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Flovelbl’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Viola, botanically known as Viola×williamsii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Flovelbl’.

The new Viola plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Foxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to create new outwardly spreading Viola cultivars with large flowers and attractive flower coloration.

The new Viola plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2001, in Foxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom, of a proprietary selection of Viola×williamsii identified as code number USAIEI-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Viola×williamsii identified as code number U5SAOS, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Viola was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Foxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom in May, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Viola plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Foxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom since September, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Viola plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Viola have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Flovelbl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Flovelbl’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Viola:

-   -   1. Mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Large pale violet-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Viola differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viola are more outwardly spreading than and         not as upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Viola flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Viola have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.

Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Viola differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viola are not as compact as plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Viola have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Viola and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         silver blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Viola can also be compared to plants of the Viola×williamsii ‘Sunviolabu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,264. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Foxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom, plants of the new Viola and ‘Sunviolabu’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viola were more mounding than plants of         ‘Sunviolabu’.     -   2. Plants of the new Viola had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Sunviolabu’.     -   3. Plants of the new Viola and ‘Sunviolabu’ differed in flower         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Viola, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Viola.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Flovelbl’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers, flower buds and leaves of ‘Flovelbl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter and under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging 24° C., night temperatures averaging 16° C. and light levels averaging 4,000 foot-candles. Plants had been growing for 13 weeks when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Viola×williamsii ‘Flovelbl’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Viola×williamsii identified as code number USAIEI-2, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Viola×williamsii identified as code number U5SAOS, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 18 to 26 days at 18° C. to 21°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots.—About 35 to 45             days at 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Mounding and outwardly spreading plant             habit; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching habit; about             16 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching is             typically not required.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 36 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Minute pubescence. Color: Close to 145A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper surface: Minute pubescence; scattered.             Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single flowers borne in upper leaf axils;             flowers face initially upright and then outwardly. Freely             flowering habit with about 120 flowers and flower buds per             plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet violet.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from spring             through the summer in California. Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 92C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm by 2.9 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl; two             upper petals, two lateral petals and one lower petal. Upper             petals: Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Shape:             Ovate with rounded apex and attenuate base; margin, entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: Developing petals, upper surface: Close to             85B. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to 85C. Fully             expanded petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 85B;             with development, color becoming closer to 85C to 85D.             Lateral petals: Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Ovate with rounded apex and attenuate base;             margin, entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color: Developing petals, upper surface:             Close to 85B. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to             85C. Fully expanded petals, upper surface: Close to 85C to             85D; venation towards base, close to 94C. Fully expanded             petals, lower surface: Close to 85D. Lower petal: Length:             About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm. Shape: Cordate with             rounded and retuse apex and attenuate base; margin, entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: Developing petals, upper surface: Close to             85B. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to 85C. Fully             expanded petals, upper surface: Close to 85C to 85D;             venation towards base, close to 94C; central eye, close to             17A. Fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close to 85D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Minute pubescence. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Filament color: Close             to 145C. Anther shape: Elliptic, flat. Anther length: About             2.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: None.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             6 mm. Stigma shape: Bulbous. Stigma color: Close to 145B.             Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 145C. Ovary             color: Close to 145C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Viola have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Viola. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Viola have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from about 0° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Viola plant named ‘Flovelbl’ as illustrated and described. 